Hoover's Strengthens Wireless Presence - Hoover's Proprietary Company Information Now Available To Nextel Wireless Web Customers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AUSTIN, TEXAS - October 16, 2001 - Widening its wireless reach, Hoover's, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOOV) today announced an agreement with Nextel Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTL), to provide its Hoover's Wireless service on the Nextel Online Internet Wireless Service. Hoover's is a provider of online business information and tools to help businesspeople get their jobs done. Nextel Online delivers a rich array of services, including content, messaging, mobile office and business process applications to help subscribers become more productive and stay in touch.

As part of the agreement, Nextel subscribers with Internet-ready phones can now access Hoover's Wireless service, which includes high-quality company information from Hoover's Online (www.hoovers.com). Nextel subscribers can now get Hoover's proprietary information on more than 17,000 public and private companies worldwide.

Nextel Online subscribers can use their wireless phones to search by company name or ticker symbol to find company descriptions and contact information, news, quotes, top officers and competitors, financials and industry/sector information. Additionally, Nextel subscribers that are also Hoover's subscribers can get premium Hoover's Company Profiles, which provide more in-depth company overviews, extended lists of officers and competitors, as well as a summary of significant developments in a company's history.

"We want mobile professionals to be able to get the most accurate, up-to-date company information available. Our staff of dedicated writers, researchers and editors works diligently to make hundreds of updates each day to Hoover's database," said Russell Secker, Hoover's senior vice president of product management. "We're excited to join with Nextel to provide its nearly 1.5 million Wireless Web subscribers with the business intelligence they need to stay one step ahead."

"There are times when you're out of the office and need fast access to business-critical information," said Tim Dunne, vice president of business development for Nextel. "Our always-on, nationwide packet data network, combined with Hoover's wireless content provides subscribers a tremendous competitive advantage. This agreement fits with Nextel's strategy of providing customers with cost-effective opportunities to address specific content and commerce needs of business users."

About Hoover's, Inc.

Hoover's, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOOV) provides online business information and tools to help businesspeople get their jobs done. Hoover's information is available through its destination site Hoover's Online (http://www.hoovers.com); through co-branding agreements with other online services; and through enterprise information portals. Hoover's investors include AOL Time Warner (NYSE: AOL), Media General (AMEX: MEG.A), and Knowledge Universe, through its Knowledge Net Holdings and Nextera Enterprises (Nasdaq: NXRA) units. Hoover's is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has offices in New York City and San Francisco.

About Nextel

Nextel Communications, Inc., based in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of all-digital, fully integrated wireless communication services in the United States covering thousands of communities across the United States. Nextel and Nextel Partners, Inc., currently serve 191 of the top 200 U.S. markets. Through recent market launches, Nextel and Nextel Partners' service is available today in areas of the U.S. where approximately 230 million people live or work. The Nextel National Network offers a fully integrated wireless communications tool with digital cellular, text/numeric paging, wireless Internet access and Nextel Direct Connect(SM) -- a digital two-way radio feature. In addition, through Nextel International, Inc., Nextel has wireless operations and investments in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, the Philippines, Peru, Chile and Japan. Please visit the website at http://www.nextel.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release may contain forward-looking statements relating to future events or results that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the expected benefits of strategic relationships, future services and new products. Among the important factors which could cause actual results of Hoover's to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are the market demand and acceptance of new and enhanced services, the success of new features, products and tools from Hoover's Online, including Hoover's Wireless, economic conditions specific to the Internet, as well as general economic and market conditions and other factors described in Hoover's reports and documents filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its prospectus and recent 10-K and 10-Q filings.

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